The Thing about Chocolate
by TempestJo
Summary: Sheldon and Penny are making chocolate covered cherries when education gets interesting... Dedicated to Medusa.


Chocolate

"Did you know," Sheldon stated, calmly stirring the pot on the stove, "that chocolate was first consumed by the ancient Incans?"

"Yes Sheldon." Penny replied seriously. "I know all about chocolate. I know things about chocolate, that would make your toes curl."

"Such as the FDA's allowance of .." Sheldon started.

"Yup." Penny leaned in closer. "Among other things."

Sheldon stared at her, removing the pot from the stove, and scraping its contents into a bowl. "Well then, by all means, curl my toes." He replied. It wasn't often Penny knew something he didn't, he was curious.

She stuck her finger into the chocolate and held it out in front of him. "For one thing, it always tastes better when you lick it off someone's finger."

He grimaced.

Smiling, she taunted him. "Come on Sheldon, you know I just washed my hands. In the pursuit of truth and knowledge, give it a try." She leaned in closer. "Lick my finger."

She wasn't quite sure why she was teasing him like this, except that it was almost valentines day, and he'd agreed to help her make home made chocolate covered cherries to send home for her family, and chocolate fumes always made her a little... Braver, than normal.

Her eyes were narrowed, and laughing at the same time, he'd seen the expression enough to know she was issuing a dare. His cheek twitched. She _had _just washed her hands, properly, for two minutes. And he _did_ hate loosing to her.

He tilted his head, reached for her wrist, wrapped his fingers around it, and then put her finger in his mouth.

And sucked on it.

Then slowly pulling it out, twisting it slightly, his tongue scraping it clean.

His eyes flicked to the ceiling and he dropped her wrist, his lips pursed as he ran his tongue around inside his mouth, tasting.

"The chocolate in Germany was better." He finally announced, looking at her steadily.

She was staring at him, with her mouth open, and her finger still held out, blinking. He noted a faint flush along the top of her cheekbones, and that she appeared to be breathing shallowly, and he smirked as he picked up a fondant wrapped cherry and dipped it into the chocolate before laying it carefully, perfectly, on the parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

Penny swallowed. Wow, that had been... Hot.

Only possible word for it.

"Really? Maybe the chocolate is defective." Her mouth said without her permission.

He went still, smirk fading, his blue eyes flicking back to her warily. They stared at each other, and then his eyes dropped to the bowl of chocolate and an eyebrow twitched. He dipped his finger in it and held it out. "You try it." He dared.

She could hear her heart pounding in her ears. Was she really about to lick, to _suck_, melted dark chocolate off Sheldon Cooper's long, graceful finger?

Hell yes.

She grabbed his wrist, like he had done to her, but instead of pulling his finger to her mouth, she leaned in closer and licked up the side of his finger, slowly, before turning her head slightly, and licking down the other side, and then around, and up, and then she slid her mouth down and gently sucked, her eyes watching his face the entire time.

He didn't appear to be breathing at all by the time she had her mouth around his finger. And when she sucked, his eyes actually seemed to roll up in his head.

She came off his finger with a pop, and then licked her lips. "Tasted pretty good to me."

His finger twitched.

She turned back to the cherries and went back to work, dipping them, then placing them on the tray.

"Perhaps." His voice faltered, and she paused, looking up at him.

He was working again, chocolate covered cherries lined up in perfectly straight rows.

"Perhaps I should, taste it again." He choked out, his eyes held on his task. "My grandpa..." He paused again.

"What did your grandpa used to do?" She asked.

"He used to dip his finger in the chocolate and then wipe it on my Meemaws neck, then lick it off and they would both laugh." He said quietly, remembering. "I haven't thought of that in years."

Penny blinked. "Ok." She tilted her head to one side. "Try me."

His hand was shaking slightly, and she closed her eyes, this was more than a dare or a challenge, this was allowing him to explore a memory, a happy one, to see it from another side.

He dipped his finger carefully in the chocolate and then paused, milimeters from her neck, wondering if he could really do this. He saw her swallow, and he knew he could. His finger left a long trail up the side of her neck, to right under her ear. He then moved his body behind her, so he could have better access, and placed his hands on her hips to hold her so she wouldn't wiggle.

She could feel him smelling her, his hands tight on her hips, and then a slight tickle, his nose, and then, his tongue. Up the side of her neck. Slowly, in small licks, all the way up, right neck to her ear. Someone groaned, she was pretty sure it was her, cause she was sagged back against him, his hands on her hips the only thing holding her up.

He kept licking. The chocolate was definitely better this way, mixed with Penny. His tongue accidentally touched her ear, and she moaned, and he did it again, catching it with his teeth.

Suddenly, she turned in his arms and caught his mouth with hers, sucking the chocolate off his tongue.

Before he could respond, there was a knock on the door and they stepped away from each other instinctively, turning back to finish the cherries.

"Come in." Penny called, her voice slightly breathless.

Sheldon smiled slightly. He'd done that.

Leonard stuck his head in the door, "Have you seen.. Oh, there you are Sheldon."

"Here I am." Sheldon agreed, placed the last cherry down on the paper and turning his eyes to the remaining chocolate in the bowl.

"Penny, you've got chocolate on your shirt." Leonard pointed out.

Penny glanced down at a smudge about the same size as Sheldon's index finger. "Huh." She said, looking over at the bowl with the chocolate in it.

Sheldon dipped his finger in it, and then licked it timidly. "It's not the same." he said quietly.

"So Penny, Valentines day," Leonard started again, pausing when Sheldon reached over and left another smear of chocolate up her neck, then moved behind her and started licking it off.

"I think I'll be busy." Penny said in a faraway voice.

"Yes." Sheldon agreed. "Much better this way."

"Much." Penny whispered, her eyes shutting as she sagged back against him again.

Leonard blinked. "Yah, I'm... I'm gonna.. " He motioned to the door. "Bye!" He escaped, closing the door behind him, then standing frozen in the hall, before pulling out his phone. "Howard. Vegas. Pick you up in ten minutes." He walked to his apartment. "Why? Because I think the world is going to end, and I'd like to go out with a bang."


End file.
